Sacred relics of Buddha at National Museum to be exhibited in Russia from Oct 11-18

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) The sacred relics of the Buddha, enshrined at the National Museum here, which were earlier to be exhibited in Russia's Kalmykia from September 24-28 as part of an exposition, will now be displayed in that country from October 11-18, according to officials.

The delay happened due to "certain unforseen logistical and technical circumstances," sources said on Thursday.

These sacred relics of the Buddha will be taken to Kalmykia Republic for the exposition, accompanied by a high-level delegation of 11 senior Indian monks who will bless local devotees and conduct religious service for the predominantly Buddhist population of the region, the Culture Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Around 10:30 pm on Friday, a 'puja' and a ceremony will be held at the museum, a senior official said a day ago.

At 11:15 pm, the convoy will depart from the museum for Palam Technical Area in Delhi.

A little past midnight of October 10, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, who will head the Indian delegation for this exposition, will arrive at the Palam Technical Area, the official said.

At 1:30 am, early on October 11, the aircraft will take off for Elista, the capital of Kalmykia Republic, he added.

The holy relics will be received by Head of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, Geshe Tenzin Choidak, Batu Sergeyevich Khasikov, Head of Republic of Kalmykia and other eminent Buddhist Sangha members, the ministry said on Friday.

The sacred relics will be enshrined in the main Buddhist monastery in Elista, known as the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery, also called the "Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha." This is a significant Tibetan Buddhist centre, opened for the public in 1996 and is surrounded by the Kalmyk steppe.

The delegation members will host other activities during the week.

"These include teachings and discourse by His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Head of Sakya Order; the presentation of the Holy 'Kanjur', the Mongolian religious texts -- with a set of 108 volumes that were originally translated from the Tibetan language. The 'Kanjur' will be presented by IBC (International Buddhist Confederation) to nine Buddhist institutes and a university. These are from the manuscripts division of the Ministry of Culture," it said.

A Memorandum of Understanding is likely to be signed between the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhist and the International Buddhist Confederation.

A unique exhibition of Buddhist stamps, curated by Vinod Kumar of Dharwad, Karnataka, featuring around 90 countries, will also be displayed.

Another exhibition by IBC titled the 'Sacred Legacy of the Shakyas: Excavation and Exposition of Buddha's Relics' will be presented through panel displays, it said.

These sacred relics of the Buddha were set to be exhibited in Kalmykia from September 24-28, the Culture Ministry had said on September 22.

The occasion was the 3rd International Buddhist Forum to be held in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia Republic, it had said in a statement.

The holy relics of the Buddha enshrined in India have been taken to Mongolia, Thailand and Vietnam in the recent past.

The Piprahwa relics at the National Museum were taken to Mongolia in 2022, whereas the holy relics of the Buddha and his two disciples enshrined at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh were taken for exposition to Thailand in 2024. This year, the holy relics of the Buddha from Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh were taken to Vietnam.

The holy relics being taken to Kalmykia belong to this same family of relics, based in the National Museum, the ministry said. PTI KND MNK MNK